“In my opinion, this is the combination of my educational background as a psychologist and my post-graduate degree in business administration. After completing my studies, I was employed in the business world, working (among other things) as the director of an organisation. During this time, I gained a lot of experience in career guidance counselling, providing training and workshop sessions, and one-to-one and team coaching. I approach many of my coaching activities from a psychological and business perspective. At times, my role as a coach is dominant, while in other situations, I rely more on my background as a psychologist. It’s great to be able to adapt my style in the moment to exactly what is needed for a client or a situation.”

“When I notice that my coaching has a positive impact on my clients and also the people close to them. When clients pass on what they have learned with me to their colleagues, family or friends. The positive impact is then suddenly much greater. I always call this the butterfly effect – when you set a positive change in motion that people can then pass on to others. I also derive great satisfaction from the fact that my work offers me an insight into the ins and outs of so many different companies and professions. This is one of the things that keeps the profession challenging for me. I believe it is important to continue developing yourself. That’s why I enjoy acquiring new knowledge and learning new skills. I am motivated by unravelling complex issues.”

“Personally, I am satisfied when I can see that a person or a team knows what is important to them and has the tools to be able to continue down the road without my help. It is essential that I make a person feel heard, understood, and supported.”

“A lot of people want to know if their thoughts are ‘normal’. This is understandable, because as human beings, we are hard-wired to want to be similar to those around us and not to deviate from the group norm. This is why we are afraid to think differently to others, when in fact, it is very useful to ask a question out loud. I always say: the important thing is to find out what is normal for you. This is your reality after all, and this is what constitutes our starting point. Most clients come to realise that their thoughts are entirely normal.”

“It can be liberating to find out that others have experienced the same struggles as you. That’s why people find it useful that I sometimes talk about my own vulnerabilities. I have also known struggles both personally and professionally. My work has given me a lot of tools that ensure that I don’t get side-tracked by any ‘bumps’ in the road. It is my job to pass these tools on to my clients.”